Desk-tray.



F. A. FULLER.

DESK TRAY. APPLICATION FILED MARI 16. |917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- vit'. A. FULU';

DESK TRAY.

APPucATloN FILED MAR. 1e, 1917.

l QQSQM Eatented Feb. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

,lll l lll .dllf PATENT FFIQE.

F-RANZAL. FULLER, OFNEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR IO TI-IE J. E. MERGOTT COMPANY, OFNEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DESK-TRAY.

raeaaco.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb.. 4, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lknownlthat I, FRANZ A.. FULLER, a citizen of tlieUnited States,.residing in the city of Newark, in the=-county of Essex and State ofNew` Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Desk- Trays, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact 'descriptionysuch las will enable `others skilled in the artto which it pertains to make, construct, and use the` same, reference being Vhad to' the'accompanying drawings and to numerals of reference marked thereon, forming a part of this specification.

'Ihisinvention` has for its object toprovide a desk. traylada-pted for-the reception of:pencils, pen-holders, stamps, ink-Welland the like, which shallbe simpleV and eifective in construction, and comparatively inexpensive in cost.

My improved desk tray is of such form that it is well adapted for advertising purposes, in thatthe advertisements'may be placed ,or embossed in Vany suitable manner upon the lid thereof.

`VViththis end' in View, my invention consists` in certain novelties of construction and arrangements V=of parts, as hereinafter set forth `and pointed out in'the'claims. While the preferred formisillustrated in the accompanymgdrawings,yet it is to beunderstood that minorA changes may be made without departing fromA1 the scope thereof.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 represents a planview of my improved desktray in itsclosed position.

Figs.' 2 and 3 represent respectively, a front and a, side. elevation thereof.

` Fig.'4 represents a transverse section of the 'improved deskftray takenon line m-m of Fig. 1,"illustrating1thelid in open position.

' Fig. represents a perspectiveviewof` the base plate.

Fig. 6 represents a similar view ofthe tray.

VFig. 7 represents a similarview of one of the side plates.

' Fig. 8 represents a similar view of one of the partitions 3. and

` Fig. 9 represents asimilar view of the lid. Similar numerals of reference refer to like` parts throughout the spef'zification and drawings.

The improved desk tray"iswpreferably made of flexible sheet metal of any kind, such as brass, tin, copper or aluminum, and the parts are of such shape as tol lend themselves readily to manufacture by the use of suitable punches and dies from ordinary sheet metal.

My improved desk tray consists essentially of the base plate 1, the tray 2, the two side plates 3)*3, the two partitions 4-4, and the lid 5, said lid being secured to the side plates in any convenient or desired manner, preferably by means of two eyelets 6-6. The base plate l, in its preferred form, is preferably rectangular in shape, provided with beveled sides 7, said sides terminating in a downwardly and inwardlyextending marginal flange 8, thereby imparting to said plate the desired degree of rigidity and stability.

Located in close proximity to the rear edge of the base plate 1, are a plurality of upwardly-extending integral ears or lugs 9, and in close proximity to the front edge of said base plate are two apertures 10, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. Extending along the entire edges of the sides of the base plate are slightly depressed portions 40, designed to receive and position the two side plates 3 3. These depressions are very slight, the depth of which usually correspond to the thickness of the metal. The tray 2 of the device, in its preferred form, is provided with two longitudinally curved portions 11 and 12, the curved portion 11 designed to form a compartment or a series of compartments, terminating in -a rear wall 13, and the curved portion 12 designed to receive pencils or the like, terminating in a front wall 14. The front wall 14 is provided with two downwardly-extending lugs or ears 15,`designed to pass through the apertures 10 in the base plate l, and'clenched over on the bottom thereof, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, to secure the front portion of the tray to the base plate 1.

Iiocatedin close proximity to the rear wall 13 and on the portion 11 of the tray 2, are a plurality of apertures 16,` designed to receive the lugs or ears 9 of the base plate 1, which yare clenched over on top of the portion 11, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4 ofthe drawings.

" Each partition 4 is provided with a curved front`17, corresponding to the curvedportion 11 of the tray 2, and further provided with two diametrically-oppositely-arranged, outwardly-projecting lugs or ears 18-18, and a centrally-arranged, downwardly-projecting lug or ear 19, by means of which the partitions are secured in suitable apertures 2() located in the rear wall 13 of the tray 2, and apertures 22 formed in the curved portion of the plate 11, see Fig. 4 of the drawings. The ears or lugs 18 passing through the apertures 20 in the rear wall 13 see Fig. 6, and apertures 22 (see Fig. 4), in the curved portion 11 of the tray 2, and the ears or lugs 19, passing through the apertures 23 formed in the raised portion 24 of the portion 11 of the tray 2.

Each of the side plates 3 is provided with an inwardly-extending flange 25, said fiange 25 beginning at the point 26 and extending forwardly, downwardly, rearwardly and upwardly along said plate and ending near the apertured ear 27 formed at the upper rear edge of said side plate. The fiange 25, at the rear edge of the side plate 3, is provided with an inwardlv-projectin'w ear or lug 28, designed to pass through the aperture 29 formed in the rear wall 13 from the rear of the wall and clenched over on the inside thereof, in order to rigidly unite the rear wall 13 with the end of the side plate 3. An integral and upwardly-extending lug 3() formed on the marginal flange 25, is designed to pass through an aperture 31 formed in the portion 11 of the tray 2, and from the under side thereof, and which is designed to be clenched over on the top of the portion 11.

The curved portion of the flange 25 is provided with an inwardly-extending lug or ear 32, said lug or ear 32 being provided with a depressed portion 33, said depressed portion being adapted to be received into an aperture 34 formed in the curved portion 12 of the tray 2. The lugs 28 and 30 andthe depressed portion 33 of the lug 32 engaging the apertures 29, 31 and 34, and together with the marginal flange 25, serve to rigidly and securely unite the side plates to the tray 2.

Directly below the lug` or ear 32, and eX- tending outwardly from the marginal flange 25, is an apertured oblong lug 41, the object of the aperture in the lug being simply to weaken the lug so that the same can be readily bent up at right angles to the flange and to engage with the under side of the curved portion 12 of the tray 2, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, when the side plates are secured to the tray 2, and serve as suitable supports for the curved portion 12.

The lid 5 along its front and side edges is provided `with an integral.inturned marginal flange 35, adapted to hold in position on the inside of the lid, a calendar, an advertising card or the like 42, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The lid 5 is further provided with a pair` of apertured lugs or ears 36, designed to register with the apertured lugs or ears 27 of the side plates 3 3, to which apertured lugs or ears 27 the lid is pivotally secured by means of eyelets 6-6, or in any other suitable or convenient manner. An advertising plate 37 may be secured to the top of the lid in any desired or convenient manner, as by means of rivets 38. The rear wall 13 of the base is provided with a longitudinallyarranged offset portion 39, against which the rear edge ofthe lid 5 engages when the same is in open position, as indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, thereby providing a stop to limit the rearward movement of said lid.

ln assembling my improved desk tray, I first secure the partitions 4 to the tray 2 by snapping the lugs 18-18 and 19 of the artition into the apertures 20, 22 and 23 ofp the tray portion. The side pieces 3-3 are then secured to the ends of the tray portion by snapping the lugs 28 and 30 into the apertures 29 and 31 of the tray 2, and causing the depressed portion of the lug 33 to snap into the aperture 34, and thereafter bending the lug 41 up at right-angles against the under side of the curved portion 12 of the tray 2. The tray, together with the side pieces 3-3, is then, by means of the marginal fiange 25. of the side piece 3, positioned on the base by means of the depressed portions 40 of the base, and by passing the lugs 9 of the base plate 1 through the apertures 16 of the tray and bending them over on the inside of the tray, and passing the lugs 15 of the tray through the apertures 10 of the base. and clenching them over upon the under side of the base. The apertured lug 36 of the lid 5 is then secured to the apertured lug 27 of the side piece 3, by means of the eyelets 6, thereby hingedly securing the lid 5 to the side pieces 3-3.

It will thus be seen that I have dispensed with the use of solder, rivets, bolts or the like, and employ suitable lugs or ears and apertures for rigidly securing the parts together, thereby facilitating the assembling of the device, and reducing the cost thereof to a minimum.

Experience has demonstrated that the organization above described is a highly efficient one, and while the device described is the preferred embodiment of my present invention, I do not care to restrict myself to the exact details of construction, combination and arrangement herein set forth, it be ing obvious that minor variations thereof, not involving the exercise of invention, may be made by any skilled mechanic, and such departures from what is herein described and claimed, I consider within the scope and terms of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patp ent is 1. A desk tray comprising a sheetmetal base plate, a sheet-metal tray mounted upon said base plate, lsheet-metal side plates secured to the ends of the tray, said base plate, tray and side plates each being provided with marginal linteg 3,'ral interlocking means for securing them together.

2. A desk tray comprising a sheet-metal base plate, a sheet-metal tray mounted upon said base plate, sheet-metal side plates secured to the ends of the tray, said base plate tray and side plates each being provided with marginal integral interlocking means for securing them together and a sheet-metal lid hingedly secured to the said side plates.

3. A desk tray comprising a metallic base plate provided with marginal fastening means, a tray mounted upon said base plate provided with marginal fastening means adapted to engage with the marginal fastening means of the base plate, side plates provided With marginal fastening means adapted to engage With the marginal fastening means of the tray, whereby said side plates and tray are secured together and a lid hingedly secured to the said side plates.

This speoilication signed and witnessed this 9th day of March, 1917.

FRANZ A. FULLER.

Witnesses:

FREDK C. FISCHER, W. H. CONKLIN.

Gopies of thin patent may be obtained for five centri each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

